sometimes I really struggle with how British people are portrayed in American culture.
For example, I am reading a book by Dee Henderson called The Negotiator and in it, one of the main characters (the male "lead" if you will) is meant to be English.
But apart from the fact that she mentions his accent when the character is introduced, (and he is also introduced as being a member of the F.B.I. -- which I found a stretch to believe as the FBI doesn't really encourage international staff?) anyhow, it is mentioned another time not many pages after the initial mention, and then the remainder of his dialogue is basically American english. There aren't any of the typical phrasings or even vocab words that an englishman would use compared to an american.
I know I'm probably nit-picking, because most americans who read this book wouldn't have a clue that she hasn't really written a British character -- because in their heads they're thinking "whoohoo! we love the british accent!!" and they're reading his dialogue in their heads in one of two 'voices' -- either the Rex Harrison posh english accent from My Fair Lady -- or the Audrey Hepburn's cockney accent -- because for most americans, those are the two english accents they know. Which for someone who has been exposed to more than just the two, it's very frustrating!
I miss the wonderful different accents that I was exposed to in Crewe Library -- the broad scottish brogue, the soft scots, the wonderful newcastle accent of good ol' Mr. Ford, and the cheerful lilt of the welsh accent.
this morning I have woken up with a stonkin' headache. I have a bunch of things to do today -- there are lots of things going on all around me and if I don't get things done today they'll be lost in the tornado of the store opening this weekend.
I watched the film Memoirs of a Geisha yesterday afternoon -- it was a beautiful film, and was very good. I was glad to see the rating of PG-13 on it, and was even more glad to see that they'd kept it very classy and didn't go the whole "show a bunch of sex" route. From my little knowledge on geishas, if they had gone that route, it would have really contradicted what they were defining as geishas -- the walking works of art. They made it a point to separate them from "working girls". My only complaints about the film are that they didn't provide english subtitles for the japanese dialogue in the beginning of the film, and that it got a little bit confusing with having a "baron" and a "chairman" and a "general" when sometimes they were called by name instead of by title.
This afternoon while my homemade spaghetti sauce is brewing, I plan to watch King Kong. (that is if the tv will allow me to watch it without cutting the picture every ten minutes!!)
My poor hubby...
in his defense, the above title quote took place before he'd had a drop of coffee and he claims to have been half-asleep.
in any case... the really big dogs?
wild deer.
apparently an American robin has somehow made its way over to England!
(insert joke here about American 'birds' not belonging in the UK)
read the rest of the story here --
Robin sends birdwatcher in Britain into a flutter
not my baby, not my niece, but she's a CUTIE!!
this is my L.c. love knot... like I said, he's a baby -- won't be full size for a while, and won't bloom for a couple of years
and here's my beauty... first pic was taken with the flash on -- it looks really cool how her stripes stand out!
and then here she is in natural light... she's gorgeous
swine cat.
so you would think they would be proud and reward us? But no!! The greedy so and sos now want to push the opening day up one day!!!!!!!
my poor boss. She's 25, 3 months pregnant with her first baby, and has transferred from the Delaware store to work at this new one... and she only has my good self and 2 maybe 3 other workers (none of which have been trained in any fashion yet).
And now we're opening on Friday.* (see below!)
THIS friday.
should be interesting in the very least.
UPDATE --- we are NOT opening this friday (thank the LORD) -- they are keeping the opening day Saturday!!! So the stress levels are lessened, and we have another day to prepare!
my new L.C. love knot -- blue orchid.....
or at least what it will look like in a couple of years when it is old enough to bloom...
if I can keep it alive for that long!!!
Here's the basic info on it...
Lc.Love Knot
(corulea type)
(L.sincorana cross with C.walkeriana)
Miniature Cattleya throws 3" powder blue flowers with a darker blue lip.Blooming season varies.
Other things that the orchid grower at the show told me -- to repot it in a couple of years after it has bloomed (if it has bloomed by then) or if the stems begin to take over the pot, repot it sooner. I explained that I am basically still a beginner at orchids and asked how to water it and when -- he held it out to me, and said feel the weight of this plant -- it has just been watered. If it feels really light, you water it -- let it soak through in standing water then let it drain thoroughly.
I also bought some orchid fertilizer.
and then --- *drum roll please*
THIS is the orchid that My dear loving kind Mother purchased for me!!!
She, my dear friends, is a BEAUTY. She has two wonderful long stems with about 25-30 buds waiting to open on each stem!! Janet Roberts, if you're reading this post... you would LOVE her!! I wish you'd been with us this morning at the show... there were some really stunning plants there -- and even some miniature orchids -- sooo tiny!!
my beauty is called a Wilsonara Kolibri Red...
I will take some pictures of them both... so you can see them.
I've put the Kolibri on the shelf above the fireplace, next to the goldfish bowl -- perhaps he will enjoy the greenery!
I can't believe I beat my dear hubby to this one -- but I guess the fact that his mind was on going geocaching is why I beat him...
anyhoo -- the taxes have now been filed (the federal ones) and so we just have to do the state and city ones (easy peasy lemon squeezy)...
... you realize you are on the top of the roller coaster ready to over the top of the first hill...
The store now has an opening date.
Finally.
I was hired 2 months ago for this new store which was slated to open mid-to-late February... and then it got pushed back to "sometime in March"... and now we're official, the 1st of April... no foolin'! har har.
So I've been hanging in a bit of a limbo, working weird hours, mostly up in the Delaware store, and doing all these odd jobs... and now this week we're "setting up" the new store. My boss and me... It's going to be really interesting because it's a LOT of work and there's only the two of us this week (with intermittent helpers) and then next week hopefully some folks from other stores will come to help out too...
So today she tells me to wear tatty clothes because we're cleaning... she's heard it's really dusty...
fabulous. cuz I just love to clean... argh.
so anyhow we're doing that this week... which still feels like I've just gotten on the roller coaster and it's still sitting in the starting area while the other passengers get settled too (did I mention we're only 30% staffed for this new store that is opening in 11 days??!!!?!)... and I'm feeling fidgety and anxious to get going, but I know the first part is going to be bumpy and scary and FAST and overwhelming and completely exhausting.
Prayers would be appreciated... particularly for a sleeping problem (i can't) and for peace of mind and heart as the new store opens short-handedly (because I'll be the only other "trained" worker, I'll probably be full time hours for a while)... and for things to go smoothly from here on out.
Mia loves to do the fishy-kisses face... and even when it's freezing cold outside, she can still do it! What a cutie.
isn't she the cutest lil lobster baby you ever did see??? I love this pic.
true but funny story...
when driving home from my mom's house the other day, I passed an older man going for a walk in their neighborhood.
Nothing unusual about him really -- just your typical older man in a nice Anorak, looking pretty warm...
and that's when I got sight of his left hand.
well, that's when I got sight of the OVEN GLOVE on his left hand.
obviously he'd wanted to take a walk on that cold afternoon and only found one of his gloves.... and decided to improvise.
NICE.
needless to say, I nearly wet my pants and crashed the car.
Well it is finally starting to feel like Spring might be on its way!! Having said that we had snow flurries yesterday, so maybe not!
Work has been going well -- I've been doing a lot of driving back and forth to this other store, and that's not been fun (and I've been told I won't be reimbursed for that either) so that's kind of stinky, but the end is in sight! I was told today that the new fixtures will be installed/set-up next week starting on Monday, and once the fixtures are in, my new job will begin as I'll be called in to begin the stocking process of the new store.
It is going to be a bit of an adventure, because we do not have enough employees by far!! So far there is myself, and my boss, the scrapbooking manager, and we are meant to be joined by 3 full timers and 3 part timers!! So the first few weeks will be interesting because out of the few people who have applied, they have either cancelled their interviews, or haven't been suitable!! So should be interesting!!
